1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to apparatus and methods for adjusting the height of a basketball goal assembly and, more particularly, to novel quick-release, self-adjusting locking mechanisms that engage a retaining assembly anchored along the length of a rigid support pole, wherein the locking mechanism selectively engages the retaining assembly along the length of the retaining assembly at a plurality of defined locking positions to facilitate adjustment in the height of a basketball goal above a playing surface.
2. Technical Background
Basketball is an increasingly popular sport in the United States and abroad. There are many cities, counties, and other associations that sponsor recreational and instruction leagues where people of all ages can participate in the sport of basketball. Today there are organized leagues for children as young as five and six years old. Accordingly, it is not surprising that more and more people have a basketball goal mounted on their property.
The problem with many basketball goals is that the goal is usually fixed at a certain height above the playing surface with a standard height being about ten (10) feet. Children and younger teens, however, generally don't have the strength or agility to make a basket at a height of ten feet. Moreover, children tend to develop improper shooting skills attempting to throw a basketball toward a goal that is too high. Oftentimes, children or younger teens get frustrated with the sport of basketball and may give up the sport altogether.
Many attempts have been made by those skilled in the art to design basketball goal systems which are adjustable to several different heights. This allows persons of all ages and sizes to enjoy the sport of basketball because the basketball goal can be adjusted to various heights above the playing surface. Some of the prior art basketball goal systems employ a deformable linkage design which generally connects the backboard to a rigid mount such as a pole. In operation, prior art deformable linkages can be selectively locked at various positions to secure the basketball goal at a predetermined height above a playing surface.
One disadvantage of prior art deformable linkage devices is that the adjustment mechanism is typically positioned within or near the linkage well above the playing surface Accordingly, whenever a user desires to adjust the height of the basketball goal, the use of a ladder, stool, or the like is required to enable the user to reach the adjustment mechanism and "unlock" the basketball goal. Having to use a ladder, stool, or the like to adjust the height of the basketball goal creates an inherent danger to the user of the potential for falling.
Other prior art adjustable basketball goal systems have adjustment mechanisms that are only accessible with the use of a separate rod or pole, such as a broomstick handle. Often times, there is not such an adjustment device readily available. The user must therefore accommodate the inconvenience of having to find a suitable implement, or simply choose not to adjust the height of the basketball goal.
Adjustable basketball goals of the prior art were also developed by those skilled in the art in such a manner that the entire weight of the basketball goal bears directly on the adjustment system. One disadvantage of these prior art configurations is that it takes more strength and patience to adjust the height of the basketball goal than typical children or younger teens possess. This is unfortunate because it is usually small children or younger teens who have the greatest need to adjust the height of the basketball goal.
To overcome this problem, many basketball goal assemblies were developed that provided an adjustment mechanism having a heavy counterbalancing beam to counteract the weight of the basketball goal. Such adjustment systems are generally very bulky, expensive to manufacture and transport, and are typically difficult to assemble.
Another disadvantage of many prior art adjustable basketball goal systems is that the adjustment mechanism is generally separate and distinct from the securing apparatus. In this regard, both hands of a user are normally needed to simultaneously unlock the system, adjust the basketball goal assembly to the desired height, and then lock the adjustment assembly in a predetermined position.
Yet another disadvantage of prior art basketball goal adjustment systems is that many of the securing and adjustment mechanisms require numerous working components and a complex design configuration to be able to simultaneously adjust and secure the basketball goal assembly in a predetermined position above a playing surface. Accordingly, this generally increases the cost and difficulty of manufacture and, in addition, the time necessary for assembly of the adjustable basketball system by a user.
Another problem with various prior art adjustable basketball goal assemblies is that a user must manually lock the adjustment mechanism in place after the goal has been positioned at the desired height. If a user releases the adjustment mechanism to activate the locking mechanism, the goal may, in the meantime, rise or fall from the selected height. This release of the adjustment mechanism may interfere with convenient adjustment or even cause injury to a user or innocent bystander.
Additionally, many adjustable basketball goal assemblies lack discreet settings for adjusting the height of the basketball goal above the playing surface. Many users will wish to adjust the goal to the same height consistently to measure improvements in dunking ability or standardize game play. However, many current adjustable basketball goal systems force a user to guess how high the goal is and simply make do with any inaccuracies in the adjustment of the goal.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that it would be an advancement in the art to provide an adjustable basketball goal system that can be adjusted by a user standing at ground level without requiring the use of a ladder or a pole. It would be a further advancement to provide an adjustable basketball goal system that is capable of being adjusted quickly and easily with the use of a single hand of a user. A further enhancement would be to provide an adjustable basketball goal system that is "self-adjusting" and/or adjustable to various discreet height settings. Finally, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an adjustable basketball goal system that is simple in design, cost effective to manufacture and transport, and easy to assemble.
Such an adjustable basketball goal system is disclosed and claimed herein.